The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 293: what you’re looking at

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382 THE MYSTERIES OF THE OOURT. intense affliction he experienced on his brother's behalf. ‘What! is there company here to-night?” he inquired, in a wild vacant manner, of one of the footmen. “Yes, my lord. Your Grace must remember that this was the evening fixed for the occasion. Bat shall I inform her Grace that your lordship has returned P” “No, no—not now!” responded Marchmont impatiently: and reeling round like a drunken man, he issued forth from the palatial residence. The domestics looked at each other, shaking their heads half-ominously, half-compassionately, as if they feared he had gone mad. The Duke entered another cab, and ordered the driver to take him to the Regent’s Park. There he stopped at the door of Mr. Armytage’s house, and knocked an impatient eammons. “Is Mr. Armytage at home?” he inquired of the footman who speedily made his appearance. “ No, my lord,” was the reply: “ Mr. Armytage has gone into the country.” “Into the country?” ejaculated Marchtnont. “Impossible! I left him this afternoon ” “I¢ is quite true, my lord,” tejoined the foot- man. “Mr. Armytage came just no# tn a cab, along with another gentleman: he did not get out —but ordered a few necessaries to be put into a carpet-bag—and when it was brought to him, he said he was going away for some little time. He did not know for how long—but said that he should write and say when he was coming homie again.” « And who was that other gentleman ”’ inquired Marchmont eagerly. “T oguld not see, my lord,” atewered the ser- vant; “for it was quite dark, and mastef was in such a hurry——” The Duke tarried to hear no more, but turned abruptly away from the door and re-entered the cab. Twice did the driver ask him whither he was now to proceed, without receiving any reply: but on the third occasion of putting the question, he elicited the monosyllable, “Home!” which was abruptly jerked forth. The Duke knew not what to think of this sud- den departure of Armytage. He could not flatter himself that Armytage had contrived to settle with Mr. Coleman and get out of his clutches, without having to make the revelations which had been sought from his lips: for if it were so, Army- tage would have been to him to claim the promised reward. On the other hand, the wretched Duke's fears suggested that Armytage was kept in a sort of eustody by Coleman, in order to be brought forward to give his evidence when the trial should take place. Indeed, Marchmont was in that state of mind in which he dared hope nothing, but was foreed te tremble at everything; and the most grovelling beggar in the streets was in the enjoy- ment of an elysian state of mind in comparison with this bearer of a ducal coronet. - On reaching Marchmont House, the Duke was found in a fainting state in the cab: he was borne to his apartment, and was soon raving in the de- lirium of fever. Meanwhile the intelligence had spread amongst the gueste that Lord Clandon was arrested and committed for trial: the Duchess was most pain- fully affected : she received the sympathies of her friends — and the brilliant assemblage broke up prematurely,—the grand supper that was provided, remaining untouched. And now Lavinia was called upon to minister by the side of that couch on which her husband was raving madly with the brain’s fiery fever. CHAPTER CXXXIX. BEMOESR. RervurEN we to Sagoonsh, whom we left issuing from the police-office after dhé had heard the magistrate pronounce the committal of Lord Claa- don to Newgate. We have seen thet the wordé pronounced by the attorney, to the effect that the ayah might be left to the chastisement of her own conscience, had produced a sudden and powerfal impression upon her mind. It was one of those species of menaces which being thrown out im eertain cir. cumstances, touch a particular chord in the heart, and cause it to vibrate painfully. Thus was it with Sagoonah. Love may turn to hate: but when a hatred, so engendered, wreaks its ve it is all the more susceptible of a speedy and poignant remorse. And thus again Was it with Sagoonah. She went forth from the police-office ; and the memory of that threat haunted her. It appeared to bave fastened upon her brain : it dang to her like « curse. She Wandered on, unconscious as well as fteck- lees of the way which she was taking: tho ¢x cruciations of femorse weré strengthening within her soul. She thought of how devotedly she had loved Clement Redcliffe—of how gloriously hani- some he was when first sho knew him—<and of the kindness with which he was wont to speak to her. She thought of that Royal mistress who had loved her—who had made her a confidante—who had ever treated her with eo much affectionate tender- néss—and who bad even passed days and nights by the side of her couch when redeoming her from that death which might have otherwise ensued from the blow dealt by the assassin’s knife. Of all these things Sagoonah thought; and her soul was rent with bitterest remorse for the deed of which she had been guilty. She knew that the penalty of murder is death; and without pausing to estimate or conjecture the value of Lord Clandon’s denial of the charge, she was only too painfully assured that he would be pronounced guilty. She would now have given worlds to recall what ehe had done: she had sud- denly recovered as it were from the socess of frenzy—the madness, in which she had taken so frightful a step against him. She pictured to her- self all the horrors of the scaffold; and though she had never witneseed a publio execution, yet her morbid imagination not merely conjured up all the real horrors thereof, but supplied fancifal ones to enhance the mental agony with which she was inspired. She awoke likewise as it were toa consciousness of her own position. She was penni- less—she was houseless: she had renounced 8 happy home—had deserted a kind mistress—and had brought herself to the point of wanting food. Still suffering from her recent illness, she was GORMGOOOKS (CO